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How many e-mails are too much?

Written by Tom Ryan

Sources: J.Crew, Macy's, Sears, Amazon, Gap

According to a study from Brand Keys, 88 percent of consumers feel they receive too many emails too frequently from retail brands. And Amazon, often ranking first among retailers in brand reputation studies, was seen as the worst offender.

When Brand Keys asked consumers, “Which retailers send you too many emails?", the top 15 retailers mentioned were:

1. Amazon

2. Groupon

3. Gap

4. CVS

5. Gilt

6. Overstock

7. Victoria’s Secret

8. Old Navy

9. Bed, Bath & Beyond, Macy’s (tied)

10. Home Depot

11. Apple

12. Walmart, Best Buy (tied)

13. Target

The study didn’t address SPAM or unsolicited e-mails consumers had not signed up to receive.

Brand Keys then explored whether sending out excessive e-mails was “necessarily a bad thing” as most advertising mediums hear complaints about going overboard on outreach.

For 11 of the retailers in the top-15 list, the e-mail rate was found to have become fatiguing and engagement decreased. However, for four — Amazon, Groupon, Old Navy and Apple — engagement increased because the e-mails reinforced the retailer’s brand values.

Brand Keys wrote in its study, “Amazon’s emails supported the category expectation related to ‘community,’ Groupon emphasized expectations related to ‘geo-centric variety,’ Old Navy bolstered ‘price-value,’ and Apple amplified consumer desires and expectations for category values related to ‘personal outreach.’”

A louder call from the marketing community around e-mail marketing has been the need for more tailored messages as e-mail volume continually increases.

According to survey earlier this year from Liveclicker and The Relevancy Group, the most important aspect of e-mail marketing was including “products that are relevant to me,” at 55 percent. Also ranking high was being recognized as a loyalty member, including products in the e-mail viewed or saved to a wish list in the past, and including products that can be picked up at their local store.

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